In the previous post, we evaluated Abram’s diversion from God’s calling to move his family to Canaan. Abram left Ur in obedience to God’s command, but upon reaching Canaan and finding that “there was a famine in the land,” (Gen 12:10) Abram continued on to Egypt instead of trusting God to provide for him and his family. What did this tragic mistake cost?
The Cost of Obedience
As many Christians today have found out, there is a cost to obedience, and sometimes it is persecution. Even in a country with religious freedom, following Christianity may come at a cost, especially for those who were raised in other faiths. But what about the cost of disobedience?
Abram had received a promise from God along with his calling to leave Ur. God promised to make a great nation of Abram’s descendants, and to bless him and his family and all families of the earth. Surely Abram’s heart was filled with joy at this promise, and surely he was eager to fulfill God’s calling for him. And, he was obedient, at least until he ran into trouble.
We cannot say for sure what Abram was thinking at this point, but one thing is sure—we’ve all been through similar circumstances. What should Abram have done? It’s easy for us to say that he should have been obedient and stayed there, trusting God’s provision. But, scripture tells us “And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was grievous in the land.”
We have already tried to visualize the caravan that Abram brought with him to Canaan. He would have had his wife, Sarai, and his nephew, Lot, of course, but Abram had come from a prosperous city, and most likely had many household servants in addition to personal servants, as well as flocks and shepherds to care for them. He probably had many mouths to feed in addition to his sheep, goats, and camels. A daily meal for all would have been a lot of food and drink. But Abram lived long before the time of Moses and would not have had the stories of God’s miraculous provision for the Israelites to bolster his faith. So, Abram, in his humanity, decided it was best to move his family to Egypt. And what a tragic mistake that was! As soon as Abram and his entourage arrived, he slips again, lying about Sarai’s status to protect himself. Abram, what were you thinking? What must Sarai have felt?
Abram’s Character
This incident reveals a little more about Abram’s character. He was obedient, but not completely, and he was a bit lacking in honesty. Of course, not one of us is perfect, right? Yet God uses whomever He chooses, and he chose Abram.
As soon as Pharaoh took Sarai, Pharoah gifted Abram abundantly. “And he entreated Abram well for her sake: and he had sheep, and oxen, and he-asses, and menservants, and maidservants, and she-asses, and camels.” But was this a fair trade for Abram’s wife and the mother of the great nation God had promised? Um, no! Abram already had servants and flocks. Was he not satisfied with what he already had? Something worth considering even today, right?
Praise God that He intervened immediately! “And the Lord plagued Pharoah and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram’s wife.” (Gen 12:17) God had the situation under control, in spite of Abram. But there were consequences, and they didn’t just affect Abram and Sarai!
Our Decisions Affect Others
Pharoah was no dummy! Once he took Sarai into his harem and the plagues began, he knew immediately the source of the problem. He confronted Abram, saying, “What is this thou hast done unto me? Why didst thou not tell me she was thy wife?” (Gen 12: 18) The Bible doesn’t even record Abram’s response. Instead, we read that Pharoah banished Abram and his family from Egypt, sending him and his wife, and all that they had away. So, Abram returned to Bethel. I’d like to think that he did so in shame, but the Bible doesn’t say. It does record that Abram seems quite humble now; so much so, that he offers Lot first choice of the land, but that is for another post! The bottom line is that our choices affect others, some we may never know. And God’s plans for us are always best. In fact, God’s plans for us are made with wisdom and understanding that we cannot comprehend. God knows us—not just our past, but also our future. He knows the future of others, and the grand scope of history. He can see all of it while we have very limited tunnel vision. Because He knows the past, present, and future, and loves us, we can trust that His plans are always best.
So, our lesson from Abraham today is: God’s promises for us are always for our good, and often in the best interest of others, as well.
From Peggy's Pen 